Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Done, made, or accomplished piece by piece or in a fragmentary way: Characterized by gradual, incremental, or unsystematic development or execution.
   • One thing at a time: Involving a series of separate, often disconnected, parts or stages.

2. Adverb:

   • Piece by piece; gradually: In separate stages or parts over a period of time.
   • A little bit at a time: In a manner involving small, incremental additions or changes.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:

  • The company's growth was a piecemeal process, expanding one store at a time.
  • We rejected the piecemeal approach and opted for a comprehensive solution.

• Adverb:

  • The old building was dismantled piecemeal to salvage its materials.
  • The policy was reformed piecemeal over several years.

Advanced Usage

• "to do something piecemeal": to undertake a task in stages or parts, often without an overall plan.

  • The software was updated piecemeal, leading to compatibility issues.

• "a piecemeal fashion/manner": describing how an action is performed gradually and in parts.

  • The data was collected in a piecemeal fashion, making analysis difficult.

Variants and Related Words

• Piece by piece (adverbial phrase): In stages; one part after another. (A near-synonymous phrase for the adverbial use).
• Incremental (adjective): Relating to or denoting an increase or addition, especially one of a series on a fixed scale. (Describes a similar gradual process but often implies a more planned sequence).
• Fragmentary (adjective): Consisting of small, disconnected, or incomplete parts. (Similar in describing incompleteness but often lacks the sense of progressive accumulation).

Synonyms

• Adjective: Gradual, incremental, fragmented, bit-by-bit, unsystematic.
• Adverb: Gradually, bit by bit, little by little, in stages, step by step.

Related Phrases

• Ad hoc (adjective/phrase): Created or done for a particular purpose as necessary, often improvised and not part of a general plan. (Shares the unsystematic nature of 'piecemeal').
• Patchwork (noun/adjective): A thing composed of many different elements so as to appear variegated. (Similar to the adjective form, emphasizing a composite of disparate parts).

Idioms and Common Collocations

• "piecemeal reform/development/approach": A common collocation where 'piecemeal' describes a method of change that is partial and gradual.
  • Critics argued that piecemeal reform would not solve the systemic problems.
• "put together piecemeal": To assemble something from various parts over time.
  • The report was put together piecemeal from various departmental submissions.

Adjective

1. one thing at a time

Adverb

1. a little bit at a time
   • the research structure has developed piecemeal